Chamounix Mansion's 200th

The barefoot guy running up the stairs of the Chamounix Mansion to his bunk didn't seem to notice or care that there was a party going on to celebrate the building's 200th anniversary. The birthday took place on February 23rd. He was a guest at the Mansion – a historic hostel. It wasn't always a place for backpackers and adventurous travelers though. The Plumstead family used it as a seasonal retreat at the turn of the century (1802, that is) and from there it was used variously as another family's home, a restaurant, boarding house, clubhouse and picnic site until 1964 when a group searching for a youth hostel rescued and refurbished it.